If we want to create material for educators to use that is ready-made it will require easily digestible material, ideally given in an activity which they can do in their classroom. However, if we just want to present material that educators can digest and make activities of their own, things that would help would be finding hooks that will appeal to children to help get them interested. (Alex Hastings).
They are going to be contemplated as remarkable "links" in future outreach activities (talks, meetings, workshops, etc), for this reason, an special link with a brief explanation of possible activities and their objectives could be useful . (Aldo Rincon)
Students
Needs
One of the first things to establish here will be the age group. If we want young children to learn about Panama, we may have to consider an additional page which is pitched or a very young audience. Otherwise, we can assume a general science education, and at least a passing interest in the sort of research we'll be doing. Also if there are any local opportunities to be involved, we should let them know (Alex Hastings)
Is "students" redundant or is a different category from undergrads and grads? (high school?) (Jorge)
Undergraduates
This audience will be looking for schools with a lot going on, with many opportunities. Knowing PIRE is an opportunity for them as well is very important. Our audience will likely be 1st to 3rd year students looking to their future years for projects to be involved with. (Alex Hastings)
Undergraduates could represent an important component in a broad field of activities (Fieldwork, exhibitions, research, etc). I think that an updated schedule of activities (opportunities, fossil digging seasons, exhibitions, etc) could enhance the recruitment capacity. (Aldo Rincon)
Graduates
Interested in a non-traditional master or PhD (Catalina Pimiento)
including some that may be interested in a non-traditional masters, but may not know what that really means (Alex Hastings)
Interested in a traditional master or PhD (Catalina Pimiento).
Traditional Master or PhD applicants have to understand their commitments and responsibilities as part of a Research and Education Project. (Aldo Rincon)
Post-Docs
There will be a lot of people interested in post-doctoral positions, with only a couple available. Even with broad interests in potential post-doctoral research, we'll need to be specific about what we're looking for (Alex Hastings)
Other Researchers
These individuals will be looking to collaborate. Provide information about opportunities for collaborations. Providing information on future research projects and the need for collaborators can help produce a high quality study. It can also give students the experience collaborating w/ other scientists (Carson Phillips)
These researchers will also be looking for the raw data, figures, etc. of the studies. We can provide a section of the website specifically geared for other scientists or a science audience. We can use "science jargon", etc. Additionally we should give links to access published data and papers of the projects, as well as published papers by the students and PIs of the project. (Carson Phillips)
Targeted audience: If the audience will be prospective students and/or researchers; I think the site must detail the type of support that PIRE can provided for different research and/or educational project activities; which can be academic support, facilitation of the information, opportunity for volunteers, etc.
If a grant is offered as project-support, then how it this can be used in several activities must be determined (e.g. stipends, buying equipments, reagents, lab analyses, travels, etc.; as well as clarify the level of support and who can apply to it, based on academic preparation (undergrad, grad, post-doc, university or other institution scientists, teachers, artists, web designers, etc.) and citizenship condition (US citizen vs non-US citizen).
This is a common clarification we observe in websites, which offer grants-support (e.g. NSF). (Jorge)
General Public
People with a variety of backgrounds and ages, interested in geology and paleontology. They have some prior-ideas but want to learn more about the subject. They do not have a geology formation, so information provided should be attractive and specific. For example, people from Panama, would like to know about attractive fossils found in the canal and the research process (collecting fossils in the field, who is doing the research and destination of the fossils) (Luz Helena Oviedo).
I don't know if we'll be able to do it with this project, but if Citizen Science may come into play at some point, we'll want interested folks in the locations in which we're working to readily know how to get information for helping out. (Alex Hastings).
Making our activities accessible to General Public requires a friendly language and design. I think that an interactive source (videos, animations, search tools, etc) can be really useful for that purpose. (Aldo Rincon).
Press
They want attractive information such as new (and big) fossils!. Journalists producing science stories usually do not have a science background, they value simple language and qualitative and fast information. They can make mistakes and mislead the information. A specific contact for journalists may be provided in the webpage.
("The Hands-On guide for Science Communicators" is a good resource to understand how media works) (Luz Helena Oviedo).
Museums (Cata Pimiento)
This could include people putting together education programs for children, in which case their needs would closely overlap with Educators. (Alex Hastings)
Target Audience
- Educators
- Needs
- If we want to create material for educators to use that is ready-made it will require easily digestible material, ideally given in an activity which they can do in their classroom. However, if we just want to present material that educators can digest and make activities of their own, things that would help would be finding hooks that will appeal to children to help get them interested. (Alex Hastings).
- They are going to be contemplated as remarkable "links" in future outreach activities (talks, meetings, workshops, etc), for this reason, an special link with a brief explanation of possible activities and their objectives could be useful . (Aldo Rincon)
- Students
- Needs
- One of the first things to establish here will be the age group. If we want young children to learn about Panama, we may have to consider an additional page which is pitched or a very young audience. Otherwise, we can assume a general science education, and at least a passing interest in the sort of research we'll be doing. Also if there are any local opportunities to be involved, we should let them know (Alex Hastings)
- Is "students" redundant or is a different category from undergrads and grads? (high school?) (Jorge)
- Undergraduates
- This audience will be looking for schools with a lot going on, with many opportunities. Knowing PIRE is an opportunity for them as well is very important. Our audience will likely be 1st to 3rd year students looking to their future years for projects to be involved with. (Alex Hastings)
- Undergraduates could represent an important component in a broad field of activities (Fieldwork, exhibitions, research, etc). I think that an updated schedule of activities (opportunities, fossil digging seasons, exhibitions, etc) could enhance the recruitment capacity. (Aldo Rincon)
- Graduates
- Interested in a non-traditional master or PhD (Catalina Pimiento)
- including some that may be interested in a non-traditional masters, but may not know what that really means (Alex Hastings)
- Interested in a traditional master or PhD (Catalina Pimiento).
- Traditional Master or PhD applicants have to understand their commitments and responsibilities as part of a Research and Education Project. (Aldo Rincon)
- Post-Docs
- There will be a lot of people interested in post-doctoral positions, with only a couple available. Even with broad interests in potential post-doctoral research, we'll need to be specific about what we're looking for (Alex Hastings)
- Other Researchers
- These individuals will be looking to collaborate. Provide information about opportunities for collaborations. Providing information on future research projects and the need for collaborators can help produce a high quality study. It can also give students the experience collaborating w/ other scientists (Carson Phillips)
- These researchers will also be looking for the raw data, figures, etc. of the studies. We can provide a section of the website specifically geared for other scientists or a science audience. We can use "science jargon", etc. Additionally we should give links to access published data and papers of the projects, as well as published papers by the students and PIs of the project. (Carson Phillips)
- Targeted audience:
If the audience will be prospective students and/or researchers; I think the site must detail the type of support that PIRE can provided for different research and/or educational project activities; which can be academic support, facilitation of the information, opportunity for volunteers, etc.
- General Public
- People with a variety of backgrounds and ages, interested in geology and paleontology. They have some prior-ideas but want to learn more about the subject. They do not have a geology formation, so information provided should be attractive and specific. For example, people from Panama, would like to know about attractive fossils found in the canal and the research process (collecting fossils in the field, who is doing the research and destination of the fossils) (Luz Helena Oviedo).
- I don't know if we'll be able to do it with this project, but if Citizen Science may come into play at some point, we'll want interested folks in the locations in which we're working to readily know how to get information for helping out. (Alex Hastings).
- Making our activities accessible to General Public requires a friendly language and design. I think that an interactive source (videos, animations, search tools, etc) can be really useful for that purpose. (Aldo Rincon).
- Press
- They want attractive information such as new (and big) fossils!. Journalists producing science stories usually do not have a science background, they value simple language and qualitative and fast information. They can make mistakes and mislead the information. A specific contact for journalists may be provided in the webpage.
("The Hands-On guide for Science Communicators" is a good resource to understand how media works) (Luz Helena Oviedo).If a grant is offered as project-support, then how it this can be used in several activities must be determined (e.g. stipends, buying equipments, reagents, lab analyses, travels, etc.; as well as clarify the level of support and who can apply to it, based on academic preparation (undergrad, grad, post-doc, university or other institution scientists, teachers, artists, web designers, etc.) and citizenship condition (US citizen vs non-US citizen).
This is a common clarification we observe in websites, which offer grants-support (e.g. NSF). (Jorge)